DPM Wall Sections: Big Walls

[sailormatlac]

Thanks for the tutorial Wayne. The dry-transfer technic is quite interesting. Is there a reason why you just don't burnish the dry transfer instead of using it as a masking device?

@Radivil: depending your modelling era, which seems to be quite modern compared to your structure, you can touch up your wall as you want since the actual building maybe have since many overhaul over its existence. No need to have a perflectly even color or weathering. Just remember that sooth and other pullutant accumulate where they can't be washed down by rain. Under cornices, roof overhangs, pilasters and windows sills. It can be done quite easily and will complete your weathered structure nicely!

About mortar color. I work in architecture, mostly on heritage buildings. You won't find gray mortar on buildings built before Portland cement was common, let's say all buildings before the late 30's... Back then, they used a lot of lime and sand, which gives a tan color. Often, they were cheap on mortar and it was common to see very thin mortar line that blended themselves together with the brick work. After a few normal weathering, everything looked the same. You will also see a lot of colored mortar lines. Mostly used with brown brick and yellow brick were black or very dark mortars. I have also often seen red mortars with red bricks. Colored mortar is still widely used nowaday.s, but normal mortar are grayer because of Portland cement. Since a few years, many new mortar developped for heritage buildings and traditionnal brick work use small amount of Portland cement and reincorporated lime.

Keep in mind that mortar looks pale only when new. It catch and retains easily pollution, grime and dust. After few years, it turns quite dark. So use light colored mortar with caution and try to use more "earth-colored" colors. On some brick buildings I painted, I ofter used very light colored mortar to represent repairs. Often in real life, this kind of job is done by someone who doesn't know how to do it right and it looks botched (larger, brighter, etc.).

Also, older buildings were often built with different color bricks because each element didn't received the same amount of heat in the kiln. The was slight variation in the brick. I think Chris Nevard modelling work is an excellent representation of that. He dullcoat the model then use cheap color pencil to represention brick color variation. His Mendip Colliery feature such a building. It's worth a try I think.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nevardmedia...6702004648

BTW, messing with colors can be interesting. This vintage painted ad was discovered when a building burn down in Montreal. It was painted between 1925-1930. This kind of lettering could be easily reproduced with commonly available dry transfer. I like the mortar lines that are showing off under the paint.




Matt